Experience Summary

 

James (Jim) Dutton joined Bechtel in 2010 as a principal vice president of Bechtel’s Infrastructure Global Business Unit (GBU). Earlier that year he had retired as a Lieutenant General after 38 years in the British Royal Marines.

 

Following orientation roles in the Middle East – at Hamad International Airport and Jubail Industrial City, he was the deputy project manager at the Khalifa Port and Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi and then Ops Manager for infrastructure and Aviation in London – in 2011 he was named programme director for the Gabon Infrastructure Programme, leading the implementation of Bechtel’s master plan for the nation.

 

In Gabon Jim was responsible for providing management and technical support to develop and implement a national infrastructure plan, and establishing a new government agency to execute the projects – the Agence Nationale des Grands Travaux – for which he also served as director general.

 

In 2013 Her Majesty the Queen selected him to represent the United Kingdom as Governor and Commander-in-Chief in Gibraltar, responsible for external affairs, defence, internal security, and general good governance.

 

Jim re-joined Bechtel in 2015 as deputy project manager for the Horizon project, where Bechtel is teamed with Hitachi on a GBP 15 billion contract for the Wylfa Newydd nuclear plant on the Isle of Anglesey. With Horizon expected to create more than 8,000 jobs during construction and up to 1,000 jobs during operation, his responsibilities include seeing that skilled resources are provided as and when needed throughout the project. He also serves as head of government strategy, with a cross- GBU brief to coordinate all Bechtel projects and initiatives for the UK.

 

Before joining Bechtel in 2010, Jim was the Deputy Commander of the NATO led International Security and Assistance Force in Afghanistan, assisting a US four-star general in commanding security operations in the country and directing the HQ staff effort through 19 multinational general and flag officers. As both the senior British military officer in the country and the senior non-US officer, he was the effective leader of all 44 nations in the coalition.

 

Following the terrorist attacks in September 2001, he deployed to the Pentagon by the UK Chief of Defence Staff as a liaison officer to the US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In mid-2002 he returned to the UK to command 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines. In 2003 he deployed to Kuwait in preparation for the invasion of Iraq, also commanding a USMC Marine Expeditionary Unit – the first non-US officer to directly command US troops since Korea. He returned to Iraq in 2005 as a Major General in command of the Multinational SE Division, comprising 12 Nations and ca 10,000 troops.

 

Education and Career

Jim has a BSc (Hons) degree in Systems and Management from the City University London.
He completed the Army Command and Staff Course in Camberley and the International Security Policy course at the Royal College of Defence Studies in London.

 

In 2010 he completed the Bechtel General Management Programme Course in San Francisco.